North Africa
Obama and Romney both fudged facts on Libya
In last night's debate, both Obama and Romney engaged in distortions over the question of when the deadly attack on the consulate in Benghazi was deemed "terrorism."
Author: Bill Weinberg
Afghanistan
Give the Nobel Peace Prize to Malala Yousafzai!
The European Union is singularly undeserving of the Nobel Peace Prize. A global call must be raised for this year’s prize to be transferred to the truly heroic Malala Yousafzai.
Mexico
Bradley Will slaying back in the news…
Video footage taken by journalist Bradley Will, killed during protests in Oaxaca, was used as evidence in a case over arrests at the 2004 Republican convention protests.
Palestine
Mizrahi Jews as political cannon fodder —again
Israel is explicitly using its own Mizrahi citizens as bargaining chips against the claims of stateless Palestinian refugees in its new “Justice for Jewish Refugees” campaign.
Afghanistan
Will American left betray heroine Malala Yousafzai?
Malala Yousafzai is hailed as a symbol of courage by progressives and secularists in Pakistan, but the American left has been shamefully silent—or else portraying her as a neocon pawn.
East Asia
China: did new Foxconn strike happen?
Reports of new wildcat strikes involving 4,000 workers at a Foxconn plant in Henan province are denied by the company—and harsh control of information bars corroboration.
New York City
NYC: Astoria repudiates ‘Golden Dawn’ fascists
When the Greek neo-fascist organization Golden Dawn tried to open a chapter in New York City’s Greek neighborhood of Astoria, they were quickly met with vocal repudiation.
Greater Middle East
Al-Qaeda faces Syrian revolution with ‘crossroads’
A blogger in Aleppo notes the growing presence of al-Qaeda militants in the insurgent forces, and writes that the Free Syrian Army must purge them or forfeit support from abroad.
The Andes
Third-party candidates marginalized …in Venezuela
In Venezuela as in the US, third-party candidates were roundly ignored by the media—including a veteran labor leader who challenged Hugo Chávez from the left.
Afghanistan
US military death toll in Afghanistan hits 2,000
A checkpoint shooting in eastern Afghanistan’s Wardak province brought the US military’s death toll in the war past 2,000. About as many Afghan civilians are killed each year.
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East Asia
Japan, Taiwan ships clash with water cannon
Japanese and Taiwanese patrol ships blasted each other with water cannon as a fishing fleet from Taiwan mobilized a protest flotilla to the contested East China Sea islands.